PM2.5 stands for particulate matter 2.5 microns or smaller. These particles are 30 times thinner than a human hair and come from car exhaust, power plants, wildfires, and burning fuel. They are small enough to bypass your body's natural defenses and enter your bloodstream.

How does air pollution affect the body?

Air pollution affects virtually every organ in the body. PM2.5 particles enter your lungs, pass into your bloodstream, and travel to your heart, brain, kidneys, liver, and other organs. This causes chronic inflammation, increasing risks of heart disease, stroke, lung cancer, dementia, and many other conditions.

How many people are affected by air pollution?

99% of the global population breathes air that exceeds WHO safety guidelines. Air pollution kills approximately 8 million people every year—more than AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis combined.

Norway's Telemark Air Pollution Report

Overview

Air Pollution in Telemark

Telemark faces significant air pollution challenges. 100% of districts exceed the WHO guideline for clean air. This is putting 170 thousand across 18 districts at risk.

The average PM2.5 over 2023 was 5.5µg/m³. That's 1.1 times the WHO guideline for clean air of 5µg/m³.

This is equivalent of everybody, including children, smoking about 91 cigarettes in a year.

Trends

Air Quality Trend

Annual PM2.5 levels from 2014 to 2023. The WHO guideline for safe air is 5 µg/m³.

Health Impact

Life Expectancy Impact

If Telemark met the WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³, the average person would live 0.06 years longer.

That's 10K years of life stolen from 170 thousand people. Years of watching children grow up. Years of building a career. Years of quiet mornings and celebrations.

Lives cut short. Breathing kills.

Most Polluted

Districts with Highest Pollution

The top 10 most polluted districts in Telemark. These areas face the greatest health burden from air pollution.

1.Notodden
0.1 years lost
2.Sauherad
0.1 years lost
3.Kviteseid
0.1 years lost
4.Bø
0.1 years lost
5.Tinn
0.1 years lost
6.Tokke
0.1 years lost
7.Nome
0.1 years lost
8.Seljord
0.1 years lost
9.Skien
0.1 years lost
10.Hjartdal
0.1 years lost

Exposure

Population Exposure by Pollution Level

Distribution of population across different PM2.5 pollution levels. The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³—only populations below this threshold are breathing safe air.

< 5 µg/m³

5-10 µg/m³

100%

170K

10-15 µg/m³

15-25 µg/m³

25-35 µg/m³

> 35 µg/m³

Districts

All 18 Districts in Telemark

Complete air quality data for every district in Telemark, sorted by population.

District	Population	PM2.5 µg/m³	Years Lost
Skien	56K	5.5	0.1 years
Porsgrunn	36K	5.4	0.0 years
Bamble	13K	5.3	0.0 years
Notodden	12K	5.9	0.1 years
Kragerø	8K	5.2	0.0 years
Bø	7K	5.7	0.1 years
Nome	6K	5.7	0.1 years
Tinn	6K	5.7	0.1 years
Sauherad	5K	5.8	0.1 years
Drangedal	4K	5.2	0.0 years
Vinje	4K	5.5	0.0 years
Seljord	3K	5.7	0.1 years
Siljan	2K	5.1	0.0 years
Kviteseid	2K	5.8	0.1 years
Tokke	2K	5.7	0.1 years
Hjartdal	2K	5.5	0.1 years
Nissedal	1K	5.1	0.0 years
Fyresdal	1K	5.5	0.0 years

Showing 18 districts, sorted by population (largest first). PM2.5 values are for 2023. Years lost calculated against WHO guideline of 5 µg/m³.

Breathing in Telemark is Injurious to Health.